The President's Inbox Episodes by Topic (2023-2024)

The President's Inbox (TPI) has produced more than four hundred episodes since it debuted in November 2016. To make it easier for listeners to find recent episodes by common themes, this post organizes all of the TPI episodes from January 1, 2023 by topic. Each listing under each subhead is in reverse chronological order, with the most recent episode listed first. The list is updated each week. You can find the complete list of all TPI episodes recorded before June 2024 organized by topic here.  

Special Series 

Election 2024  

“The Axis of Autocracies Challenge” with Jennifer Kavanagh (Defense Priorities) and Andrea Kendall-Taylor (CNAS), October 29, 2024  

“The China Challenge” with Liza Tobin (Special Competitive Studies Project) and Jake Werner (Quincy Institute), October 22, 2024 

“The Taiwan Challenge” with Oriana Mastro (Spogli Institute for International Studies) and David Sacks (CFR), October 15, 2024 

“The Middle East Challenge” with Steven Cook (CFR) and Amy Hawthorne (independent consultant on the Middle East), October 8, 2024  

“The Trade Challenge” with Edward Alden (CFR) and Ana Swanson (NYT), October 1, 2024  

“The Climate Challenge” with Alice Hill (CFR) and Varun Sivaram (CFR), September 24, 2024  

“The Russia Challenge” with Liana Fix (CFR) and Thomas Graham (CFR), September 17, 2024  

Grand Strategy 

“A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Multipolar Realism.” With Stephen Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund), August 20, 2024 

“A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Realism.” With Charles Kupchan (CFR), July 30, 2024 

“A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism.” With G. John Ikenberry (Princeton University), May 7, 2024 

“A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for U.S. Retrenchment Overseas.” With Stephen Wertheim (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), March 19, 2024  

Transition 2025  

“China Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Zoe Liu (CFR), December 17, 2024 

“Japan Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Sheila Smith (CFR), December 10, 2024 

“Latin America Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Will Freeman (CFR), December 3, 2024  

“Europe Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Liana Fix (CFR) and Mattias Matthijis (CFR), November 26, 2024  

“Trump’s National Security Appointees” with Christopher Tuttle (CFR), November 19, 2024 

“Trump and the Middle East” with Steven Cook (CFR), November 12, 2024 

“Staffing a New Administration” with Stephen Hadley (Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC), November 5, 2024  

Africa 

“Sudan’s Civil War.” With Michelle Gavin (CFR), July 25, 2023  

“Nigeria’s General Election.” With Ebenezer Obadare (CFR), March 7, 2023   

“What Climate Change Means for the Horn of Africa.” With Michelle Gavin (CFR), February 14, 2023  

Asia 

China 

“China Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Zoe Liu (CFR), December 17, 2024 

“The China Challenge” with Liza Tobin (Special Competitive Studies Project) and Jake Werner (Quincy Institute), October 22, 2024 

“A U.S.-China Cold War.” With Robin Niblett (Chatham House), July 23, 2024 

“A Second China Shock.” With Brad Setser (CFR), April 30, 2024 

“China’s Underground Historians.” With Ian Johnson (CFR), September 26, 2023   

“China’s Economic Downturn.” With Zongyuan Zoe Liu (CFR), August 15, 2023  

“Critical Minerals and China.” With Morgan Bazilian (Colorado School of Mines), April 25, 2023  

“China’s Nuclear Forces.” With Fiona Cunningham (University of Pennsylvania), February 28, 2023 

“Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.” With Jonathan Berkshire Miller (Macdonald-Laurier Institute), February 7, 2023 

“China’s Covid Surge.” With Yanzhong Huang (CFR) and Zongyuan Zoe Liu (CFR), January 17, 2023   

“China’s Global Influence Campaign.” With Joshua Kurlantzick (CFR), January 3, 2023  

“China.” With Elizabeth C. Economy (CFR), December 8, 2016 

India 

“What Climate Change Means for the Bay of Bengal.” With Sarang Shidore (Quincy), July 11, 2023  

Japan 

“Japan Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Sheila Smith (CFR), December 10, 2024 

“Japan Rearmed.” With Sheila A. Smith (CFR), January 31, 2023 

North Korea 

“North Korea’s Nuclear Program.” With Jenny Town (Stimson Center), April 11, 2023  

Pakistan 

“Pakistan in Crisis.” With Sadanand Dhume (AEI), May 23, 2023  

South Korea 

“The U.S.-South Korea Alliance.” With Scott A. Snyder (CFR), December 12, 2023  

“The Biden-Yoon Summit.” With Scott A. Snyder (CFR), May 2, 2023 

Taiwan 

“The Taiwan Challenge” with Oriana Mastro (Spogli Institute for International Studies) and David Sacks (CFR), October 15, 2024 

“Taiwan’s Presidential Election.” With David Sacks (CFR), January 9, 2024  

“The Future of U.S.-Taiwan Relations.” With Susan M. Gordon (Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence) and Michael G. Mullen (Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), June 20, 2023 

Europe 

Regional Issues 

“Europe Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Liana Fix (CFR) and Mattias Matthijis (CFR), November 26, 2024  

“The Elections in Britain and France.” With Mattias Matthijs (CFR) and Daniela Schwarzer (Bertelsmann Stiftung), July 9, 2024 

“Europe’s Geoeconomic Revolution.” With Matthias Matthijs (CFR) and Sophie Meunier (Princeton University), September 5, 2023  

“The Right Surges in EU Elections.” With Liana Fix (CFR) and Matthias Matthijs (CFR), June 11, 2024  

Russia 

“The Russia Challenge” with Liana Fix (CFR) and Thomas Graham (CFR), September 17, 2024  

“Russia, Ukraine, and Global Instability.” With Michael Kimmage (Catholic University of America), April 9, 2024  

“Getting Russia Right.” With Thomas Graham (CFR), October 3, 2023   

Ukraine 

“Ukraine’s Attack on Kursk.” With Liana Fix (CFR), August 27, 2024 

“Russia, Ukraine, and Global Instability.” With Michael Kimmage (Catholic University of America), April 9, 2024  

“Year Three of the Ukraine War.” With Miriam Elder (CFR) and Carla Anne Robbins (CFR), February 20, 2024 

“The Future of the War in Ukraine.” With Kori Schake (AEI), December 19, 2023  

“Ukraine’s 2023 Counteroffensive.” With Max Boot (CFR), September 19, 2023 

“U.S. Strategy in Ukraine.” With Charles A. Kupchan (CFR), May 9, 2023   

“The Long War in Ukraine.” With Samuel Charap (RAND Corporation) and Miranda Priebe (RAND Corporation), February 21, 2023  

Global Issues 

Environment and Climate Change 

“The Climate Challenge” with Alice Hill (CFR) and Varun Sivaram (CFR), September 24, 2024  

“Global Food Insecurity.” With Caitlin Welsh (CSIS), August 8, 2023  

“What Climate Change Means for the Bay of Bengal.” With Sarang Shidore (Quincy), July 11, 2023 

“The U.N. High Seas Treaty.” With Esther Brimmer (CFR), April 4, 2023  

“What Climate Change Means for the Horn of Africa.” With Michelle Gavin (CFR), February 14, 2023  

Cybersecurity and Technology 

“Silicon Valley and the Future of Warfare.” With Christopher Kirchhoff (Special Assistant to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs” and Raj M. Singh (Shield Capital), August 6, 2024 

“Governance of Artificial Intelligence.” With Kat Duffy (CFR), February 13, 2024  

“Artificial Intelligence and Great Power Competition.” With Paul Scharre (CNAS), March 28, 2023  

Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control 

“The Threat of Nuclear Terrorism.” With Stephen Flynn (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine), July 16, 2024 

“Confronting the Nuclear Threat.” With W. J. Hennigan (New York Times), March 26, 2024  

“China’s Nuclear Forces.” With Fiona Cunningham (University of Pennsylvania), February 28, 2023 

International Economy 

“Combating Global Poverty.” With Kate Schecter (World Neighbors), February 27, 2024 

“The Globalization Myth.” With Peter Trubowitz (LSE), November 21, 2023 

“The APEC Summit.” With Matthew Goodman (CFR), November 14, 2023 

Terrorism 

“Far-right Terrorism.” With Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (CFR), January 2, 2024  

Global Health 

“China’s Covid Surge.” With Yanzhong Huang (CFR) and Zongyuan Zoe Liu (CFR), January 17, 2023   

Women and Foreign Policy 

“International Women’s Day.” With Ann Norris (CFR), March 5, 2024  

Latin America 

“Latin America Reacts to Trump’s Election” with Will Freeman (CFR), December 3, 2024  

“Mexico’s Presidential Election.” With Andrés Rozental (Rozental & Asociados), May 28, 2024 

“Latin America’s Crime Surge.” With Will Freeman (CFR), August 1, 2023  

“Mexico’s Democratic Backsliding.” With Shannon K. O’Neil (CFR), March 14, 2023  

Middle East 

Regional Issues 

“Trump and the Middle East” with Steven Cook (CFR), November 12, 2024 

“The Middle East Challenge” with Steven Cook (CFR) and Amy Hawthorne (independent consultant on the Middle East), October 8, 2024  

“A Wider Middle East War” with Steven Cook (CFR), September 3, 2024 

“U.S. Policy in the Middle East.” With Steven A. Cook (CFR), June 4, 2024  

“U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.” With Ray Takeyh (CFR) and Robin Wright (USIP and Wilson Center), February 6, 2024   

“The Houthi Threat to Red Sea Shipping.” With Katherine Zimmerman (AEI), January 16, 2024   

Iran 

“Iran’s Attack on Israel.” With Steven Cook (CFR) and Ray Takeyh (CFR), April 16, 2024  

Israel 

“Iran’s Attack on Israel.” With Steven Cook (CFR) and Ray Takeyh (CFR), April 16, 2024  

“The War in Gaza.” With Steven Cook (CFR), April 2, 2024  

“The Renewed Fighting in Gaza.” With Steven Cook (CFR), December 5, 2023  

“The Laws of War.” With Matthew Waxman (CFR), October 31, 2023 

“The Future of the Israel-Hamas War.” With Linda Robinson (CFR), October 24, 2023 

“The Israel-Hamas War.” With Elliott Abrams (CFR) and Steven A. Cook (CFR), October 10, 2023 

“Israeli-Saudi Peace Deal.” With Steven A. Cook (CFR), August 22, 2023  

“Israel’s New Government.” With Martin S. Indyk (CFR), January 10, 2023 

Saudi Arabia 

“Israeli-Saudi Peace Deal.” With Steven A. Cook (CFR), August 22, 2023  

Turkey 

“Erdoğan’s Victory.” With Steven A. Cook (CFR), June 6, 2023  

United States 

Defense Policy 

“Silicon Valley and the Future of Warfare.” With Christopher Kirchhoff (Special Assistant to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs” and Raj M. Singh (Shield Capital), August 6, 2024 

“The Impact of AI on Warfare.” With Andrew Reddie (University of California, Berkeley), May 14, 2024 

“Challenges Facing the U.S. Military.” With John Barrientos (CFR) and Kristen Thompson (CFR), April 23, 2024  

“The U.S. Military Recruiting Crisis.” With Nora Bensahel (Johns Hopkins), June 13, 2023  

Diplomacy 

“The Axis of Autocracies Challenge” with Jennifer Kavanagh (Defense Priorities) and Andrea Kendall-Taylor (CNAS), October 29, 2024  

“America’s China Strategy.” With Rush Doshi (CFR), August 13, 2024 

“A U.S.-China Cold War.” With Robin Niblett (Chatham House), July 23, 2024 

“The U.S. Pivot to Asia.” With Robert Blackwill (CFR) and Richard Fontaine (CFR), June 25, 2024 

“America's New Cold Wars.” With David E. Sanger (New York Times), May 21, 2024 

“Assessing the NATO Summit.” With Ivo H. Daalder (Chicago Council on Global Affairs), July 18, 2023  

“U.S. Strategy in Ukraine.” With Charles A. Kupchan (CFR), May 9, 2023   

History 

“Ronald Reagan on U.S. Global Leadership” with Max Boot (CFR), September 10, 2024 

“Henry Wallace and the Origins of the Cold War.” With Benn Steil (CFR), January 30, 2024  

Immigration 

“The Crisis at the U.S. Southern Border.” With Dara Lind (American Immigration Council), March 12, 2024 

“U.S. Immigration Policy.” With Edward Alden (CFR), March 21, 2023  

Politics 

“Year End Q&A Special.” With Shannon K. O’Neil (CFR), December 26, 2023  

“U.S. House Republican Speaker Battle.” With Christopher M. Tuttle (CFR), October 17, 2023 

“The Fourth of July.” With Jack Rakove (Stanford), July 4, 2023 

“The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy.” With Richard Haass (CFR), June 27, 2023 

“The Obligations of American Citizens.” With Richard Haass (CFR), January 25, 2023 

Trade 

“The Trade Challenge” with Edward Alden (CFR) and Ana Swanson (NYT), October 1, 2024